Scruffy Now: The former vagabond of Smithfield lives with Linda Reagan and her husband, Mike.
PHOTOS BY JOHN H. SHEALLY II PHOTOS/THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Posted on 03/07/2005 3:31:44 AM PST by csvset
Still Scruffy in name only
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Scruffy Now: The former vagabond of Smithfield lives with Linda Reagan and her husband, Mike.
PHOTOS BY JOHN H. SHEALLY II PHOTOS/THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
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By TONY GERMANOTTA, The Virginian-Pilot
© March 7, 2005
CARROLLTON, Va. — He was legend – the little black escape artist who wandered the streets of Smithfield always one paw ahead of the law.
Animal control officer Waverly Traylor spent more than a year trying to outwit and gradually coming to admire the animal he named Scruffy . The dog seemed to trifle with him, sitting on top of humane traps, waiting coyly for Traylor to get close, only to vanish once again.
On June 7, 2003 , Scruffy made his first mistake, slipping into a garage not knowing the getaway hole he expected to find out back had been recently repaired. Scruffy was captured, bathed, inoculated and, gasp, neutered, before being placed in the loving care of Linda and Mike Reagan .
That was in July, 2003 .
Pundits thought it wouldn’t last, that he would soon be on the lam, strutting his stuff at all his old haunts.
The pundits were wrong.
These days, Scruffy is content with a much smaller domain. He patrols an acre of fenced yard and settles easily into the Reagans’ overstuffed chairs. At night, he sleeps on the master bed between the Reagans’ feet. He even has a ski jacket, complete with hood, for those cold or snowy days.
The Reagans still call him Scruffy, but he’s far from it now. His once matted coat is closely cropped in what resembles a schnauzer cut. The face, though, is unrepentant vagabond.
“Scruffy has had no problems adapting,” Linda Reagan said, as the dog nestled beside her, eyes closed.
Once he had a flashback, taking off through an open car window, but they let out their other dog, a female mix of golden retreiver and border collie named Niki, and soon the canine buddies were walking back together as if nothing had happened.
Every Saturday, Mike Reagan takes the two dogs out for cheeseburger treats at the local drive-throughs.
Scruffy also loves Utz pretzels and Milk Bones.
Occasionally they clip on the leash (he doesn’t resist, she insists) and they head back to downtown Smithfield for a reunion tour.
“Everybody remembers him and is happy to see him,” Linda Reagan said.
Officer Traylor is working on a book about his year on Scruffy’s trail. He has a photo of the dog in his office and enjoys visiting him.
Scruffy hasn’t lost all of his former instincts. When he sees Traylor, he cowers and tries to get away, Linda Reagan said.
“He’s just a good little dog for having been on the streets for two years,” she said. “He’s just the most loving little dog.”
Then she grabbed his face and a look of resignation seemed to cross Scruffy’s expressive eyes.
“He’s a happy little boy,” she cooed. “He’s mommy’s boy and daddy’s boy.”
If there’s a story or subject you’d like us to revisit, pass the suggestion to Tony Germanotta, 446-2377 or drop him an e-mail at tony.germanotta@pilotonline.com
Ping
The dog seemed to trifle with him, sitting on top of humane traps, waiting coyly for Traylor to get close, only to vanish once again.
What a nice story to start Monday with!
Yes it is. I had posted a story about Scruffy eluding animal control officer Waverly Traylor awhile back.
Glad to see that Scruffy has adapted to his new home.
THERE HE IS!!! My arch-nemesis, SCRUFFY!!!! Ooooooo, how I hate that dog. He tasks me. He tasks me; he heaps me; I see in him outrageous strength, with an inscrutable malice sinewing it. That inscrutable thing is chiefly what I hate; and be the Scruffy dog agent, or be the Scruffy dog principal, I will wreak that hate upon him.
Here's the pictures.
Well, of course he's lost his drive.
They neutered the poor guy! ;-)
Feel good bump!
bump
nothing like a rescue. Thanks for posting.
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